


nothing but sky, the sound of the water, and the water’s reply

by Kroolea



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Blood and Gore, Cuddling for "Warmth", Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Good Parent Din Djarin, Grogu | Baby Yoda Needs a Hug, Human Grogu | Baby Yoda, M/M, Protective Din Djarin, This is a Zombie AU Without Many Zombies?, Violence, Zombies, cobb vanth needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:00:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28950801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroolea/pseuds/Kroolea
Summary: "Don't move, I'll kill you.""Alright, pal. I'm just grabbing some food, so are you." Cobb drawls. He glances at the harness on the man's chest. Curly black hair pokes out and Cobb realizes he's holding a baby. "You don't wanna wake the baby."---The apocalypse sucks for everyone. But especially for Cobb Vanth. His neighborhood is killed off and he's the lone survivor. Luckily, he runs into some guy that almost killed him at the store.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Comments: 7
Kudos: 64





	1. nothing but sky, the sound of the water, and the water’s reply

**Author's Note:**

> Hi. I am literally losing my mind at how long this took to write. (Like 2 weeks and it isn't even all that great) 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy?
> 
> The title is taken from the poem "The End of the World" by Dana Gioia

Cobb Vanth was never known for his calm demeanor, even before the world began to end. He was always too loud, too blunt, too something or another. Now that the world was basically ending, he was anything but calm.

Calm people die.

Admittedly, Cobb had done things he wasn't proud of, he killed people for food and other supplies, he lied and he stole. Keeping the people in his neighborhood alive has been his main goal for the last two years since the world went to shit. Everything else, everyone else, comes in a second place.

Today is no different. Most of the stores in the heart of the city have been completely ransacked. Cobb has to keep going further and further out to get enough food. This time, he sent others the opposite way to collect food from the other side of town.

His neighborhood isn't huge whatsoever there are exactly ten men, twelve women, and eighteen children.

Nowadays, feeding forty people seems impossible. Supplies were low and often, Cobb forgoes meals so the children can eat two meals a day.

The grocery store he enters smells like rotting food and he covers his nose and mouth with his red scarf.

He's busy shoving cans of food in his knapsack when a noise a few aisles over startles him.

"Who's there?" He calls, his hand shifting to the machete in a sheath on his waistband. "Who's out there." He adjusts the bag over his shoulder and steps out of the aisle.

He doesn't hear anything he turns around to see a figure with a machete facing his neck at his head. "Don't move or I'll kill you." The figure says, his voice is deep and scratchy. He wears a motorcycle helmet but the visor is up, Cobb can see his dark eyes.

Cobb swallows hard, he isn't used to being on this side of a knife.

"Alright, pal. I'm just grabbing some food, so are you." Cobb drawls. He glances at the harness on the man's chest. Curly black hair pokes out and Cobb realizes he's holding a baby. "You don't wanna wake the baby."

The man slowly puts his knife down. He spins around and walks back to the aisle with the sign that says 'BABY SUPPLIES'.

Cobb finishes gathering the last of the cans. The knapsack is heavy and he's sure his back will be killing him tomorrow but he can't find it in himself to care, this will supply them with food for almost a month.

He passes the man in the aisle looking at baby formulas. He pities the man, he looks confused. Cobb stops in the aisle and hesitates before speaking up.

"I'm taking the last of these. You want two or three of them?" Cobb asks. The man spins around, his hand straying toward his gun. He puts his hand down slightly when he sees Cobb.

"What are they?" He says, Cobb pulls out three cans of beans.

"We've learned beans are useful for meals if you can find them. Rice too, they don't have any rice left here though."

The man doesn't move for a moment and Cobb wonders if he heard him.

"I'll take two." The man takes two steps forward and takes the two cans of black beans from Cobb. "Thank you."

Cobb gives him a smile even if it feels completely fake. "Of course. Stay safe."

He's nearly at the door when he hears the man's soft reply.

"You too."

\---

Din isn't used to people being kind to him. Not even before everything went wrong. Before a deadly infection spread across the world, causing infected peoples to become brainless creatures. Zombies, scientists called them.

He thinks about the man with tired hazel eyes at the store. How he had hesitated before giving Din the food his group needed.

For days, Din dreams of the silver-haired man with hazel eyes.

Grogu is incredibly fussy. The constant switches in formulas based on availability probably isn't the best for him, but Omera insisted he would be fine. Din paces their ratty apartment, trying to keep the infant quiet.

He never saw himself as a fatherly figure. Kids were loud and expensive. That was until one blistering hot August day when he found a tiny baby in an empty apartment. He took the baby to his friend Omera, who was a nurse before the world became Hell on Earth. She guessed that the baby was maybe a week or two old.

Din had sympathized with the baby, he was abandoned, unloved.

Din unofficially adopted Grogu the same day he found him.

Grogu wasn't his actual name, of course, Din had named him Milagro-Agusto— august miracle.

Right now, Grogu is asleep a few feet away from the rickety cot Din calls a bed.

Din watches him sleep for a few minutes before picking up the six month old.

They need to find a new place to stay, Din doesn't trust this old building like he used to. They'll go "house-hunting" later.

There aren't many landlords left, most people have run away or died from lack of resources.

Din often considered leaving the city, if he could get a ride out to the country, he could get a house and he and Grogu could live far away from everything.

The city is just too fucking convenient. There are corner stores or gas stations every few building. They always had something Din could eat.

Omera and Winta were here too and he wouldn't want to leave them alone to fend for themselves. Often, Din brought them some groceries, Omera didn't want her or her young daughter to leave the house and risk becoming infected. They came up with a trade-off, Omera would treat any injuries Din got and would watch Grogu if push came to shove and Din was hurt too badly too help. He would bring her food every time he got himself stuff.

For now, it worked.

Din is walking down the eerily empty street when he bumps into someone, he panics, pulling away.

Bloodshot hazel eyes meet his and he gasps. "It's you."

The man from the store stares at Din for a moment. "It is me." He says slowly, he seems recognizes Din.

Din has seen that resigned look in many eyes. "Your group was infected." He says slowly, he scans Cobb's body but sees no injuries.

Cobb shakes his head. "Murdered."

"The Empire?"

Cobb nods, staring at the ground.

"Fuck, I'm sorry."

The Empire was a group of assholes whose goal was to eliminate any potential outbreaks. They did so by killing large groups, the less people travelled together, the less chance there was of a wide spread.

Din's own group, an eclectic bunch of engineers and ex-military, were killed by the Empire. Din escaped only because they told him to run with the baby.

Din didn't blame them for their actions, desperation caused people to do crazy things. He didn't agree with them, killing anyone, especially innocent people, is bad.

Din doesn't wish the event on anyone. He remembers the deep sorrow that he felt.

"You may come with us." Din suggests. He doesn't exactly trust this man, but he has no reason _not_ to trust him.

The man's eyes don't light up, but he gives Din a weak smile like he had in the store.

"Thank you."

Din's main goal from this moment on is to make Cobb's eyes light up, thr thought causes him to blush under his helmet.

"I'm Cobb Vanth." The man, Cobb, holds his hand out. Din smiles and shakes his hand.

"Din Djarin."

"Where to, Din?"

"Uptown. I have groceries to deliver to a friend. Carry these." Din passes a bag to Cobb. "I'm assuming all the food you had was taken?"

Cobb doesn't answer, which gives Din the answer he needs. "Of course they took it. Bastards."

Cobb laughs mirthlessly, "You can say that again."

Din continues to walk, looking around for any zombies or Empire members. The sky is dark and cloudy. Cobb shivers slightly, the scene isn't pleasant. It's silent, the once busy streets are empty. Cobb misses the laughter that echoed here, the joy he could once see.

A piece of trash tumbling in the wind makes Din jump and pull out the knife at his side. When he realizes what the source of noise is, he sheathes the knife and slumps a little. Cobb's seen enough to know what trauma looks like, Din is the epitome of a traumatized human.

Din nods at the doorman at Omera's apartments. Boba Fett is a stern older man who is the toughest man Din knows. Boba has made it his goal to protect this particular apartment from zombies. These homes are full of single parents who can't provide for their kids alone. Boba provides a free place to stay and protection.

Din sometimes wishes he was able to do that. He thinks it would get boring after a while.

"Who's your friend?" Boba asks. Din glances at Cobb, who looks a little startled at being acknowledged.

"Cobb Vanth. His group is gone." Din explains shortly. "We're here to drop off stuff for Omera and Winta."

"Of course. Be gone by sunset, I'd hate to see something happen to you."

Din climbs up the creaky steps as he heads to the second third floor. He knocks on the door lightly, smiling as he takes his helmet off and tries to fix his hair.

"Din!" Winta exclaims, she hugs him quickly. Din takes the groceries from Cobb and hands them to her mother. Omera takes the bag and sets them on a table.

"It's not much. A few cans and rice."

"Thank you." She says sincerely. Din gives her a smile. "Who is this?" She glances over at Cobb who gives the two a kindly look.

"Of course. This is Cobb. We're travelling together for now." Din explains, Omera nods, striking up a conversation with the man.

They can't stay long, the sun will set soon and the last thing they want is to be out past dark.

The thick scent of smoke fills the air as Din leads them to what he had called "his shitty apartment" Cobb covers his mouth with the scarf over his mouth.

Din stops suddenly, Cobb runs into him.

"Shit." Din mutters, Cobb looks up and frowns. The building they were apparently supposed to be going to is on fire. Cobb frowns as Din sighs. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

The burning building doesn't come as a shock to Din, he's known the building was bound to catch fire eventually. The wires were faulty and there basement was covered in rats and other creatures.

Cobb places a hand on Din's shoulder. "We need to go."

"I-, where?" Din's sounds choked up.

He didn't think it would be today. But he knew Cobb was right, it was officially dark and Din knew it would only be a matter of time before something would go wrong.

Speaking of things going wrong...

A noise grabs Din's attention and he spins around, hand on his machete. A person steps out, head swiveling toward them in an unnatural way.

"Zombie." Din unsheathes his knife and charges. Cobb stares as Din silently kicks the thing over and slices it's neck. The head partially detaches, the head lolling backwards. A few wet thwacks later, the head falls to the ground and the body follows a moment later.

Cobb is suddenly aware of the danger they're in as a group of zombies emerge from where the first had come from. Cobb pulls out his own machete and brandishes it.

"Think we stand a chance?" He asks, Din tilts his head slightly, as if he's calculating their chances.

"Yeah." Din twirls his machete around.

"Let's get 'em, partner." Cobb grins, feeling half-mad as he charges.

Adrenaline pumps through Cobb's veins as he hacks a zombie's neck messily. He feels like the opposite of graceful as he gets covered in clotting blood.

Gross. He wipes a bloody hand on his pants, it leaves an almost-black stain on the blue jeans.

Din seemed to be better prepared for this situation than Cobb. His kills are neat, done quickly, while Cobb's are done with determination and sheer strength.

When Cobb realizes that they're highly outnumbered and it's so dark he can hardly see, he looks over at Din. "Retreat?" He yells. Din nods.

"Lets go." He takes off and Cobb realizes that Din is not as fast as Cobb is.

Of course, that might change if Din didn't have a backpack on his back and a baby strapped to his chest.

Cobb slows his pace to let Din catch up. Cobb sees the lights on in a building. He pulls Din inside the door and knocks on the door loudly.

A woman cracks the door open, she's older than Cobb by a few years. She takes one look at them and shuts the door.

"What do you need?" She yells through the door, not that she'd need to yell, the door is incredibly thin, Cobb thinks he could punch through it if he wanted to.

"Can we stay with you for the night?!" Cobb feels desperation settle in now that the adrenaline is gone. He's cold and covered in dried blood.

"No!" She yells back. She hasn't moved, if her voice is any indication.

"Please? We-" Cobb turns as Din sets a gentle hand on his shoulder and shakes his head. His attention is drawn to the little boy shivering slightly in the cold. "We have a child. It's too cold."

There's a long pause. Din glares at Cobb. "Let's go."

The door unlocks and Cobb looks up.

"Just for tonight. Have you been bitten?" The woman peers at them.

"No. We fought them and ran." Cobb lifts his arms as if that answered her question.

"C'mon. Let me see the baby." She takes the kid from Din. He gurgles happily. "Aww aren't you a cutie!" She seems to remember the men in her house because she motions her head toward the bathroom.

"Still got hot water, I'll find some clothes that'll fit you."

Cobb's eyes widen, it's been years since he's taken a shower with hot water. He turns to Din. "You take one first, don't use up all the water. I'll watch the kiddo."

Din doesn't argue as he goes into the bathroom.

Peli steps into another room and shuffles through the closet. "I should have something. Aha!" She pulls out a box and goes through it, setting it on the bed.

"Here ya go." She says, handing him clothes.

"I'm putting these outside the door!" She calls to Din.

"I'm Peli Motto." She says, changing the baby's diaper with skill that says she's changed too many to count.

"Cobb Vanth." He'd shake her hand but his are covered in dried blood.

"Who's your partner?" She asks, changing Din's baby's clothes.

"Din."

"This little guy is his?"

"Yeah."

"He looks like his daddy. Don't you?" She directs the last part to the kid, who giggles as she tickles his toes.

Din steps into the room, his hair is curly now that it's still wet. "It's all yours."

Cobb rips off his clothes once the door is shut. The bathroom is still warm from Din's shower and he relishes the feeling.

He steps into the shower and gasps in relief as the hot water hits his skin.

First, he focuses on scrubbing his skin to get the dried blood off. Once the water going down the drain is no longer a weird reddish-brown color, Cobb allows himself to fully enjoy the commodity.

Cobb turns the water off once it begins to cool. He steps out and changes into the clothes Peli provided. It's a t-shirt and a hoodie with some jeans and even boxers.

He wonders who the the clothes belonged to. A husband? A son? A friend? The hoodie seems brand new, still soft to the touch.

He steps out of the bathroom and shivers at the cool air.

"You and Din can sleep in here. I brought out a crib for the little one." Peli explains, he smiles gratefully.

"Thank you."

"It's been a long time since someone else has been in that crib. It was for my granddaughter, she was a few months old when..." Peli trails off. "I'm sorry. You're probably exhausted. Get some rest, I'll make some soup for breakfast."

Cobb nods and opens the door to the bedroom. Din is holding his kid, humming under his breath as he tries to get the little guy to bed. He looks up and grimances.

"There's only one bed. She thinks we're a couple and I don't have the heart to correct her." He says softly, his tone apologetic. Cobb shrugs.

"I'm fine with sharing. It isn't that small."

Din nods in agreement. Cobb sits on the edge of the bed, watching the father.

"What's his name?" Cobb asks quietly.

Din looks up, "Grogu."

Cobb furrows his brow. "Hmm. Sounds like a fantasy creature. What's it mean?"

Din laughs. "It's short for Milagro-Agusto." He kisses the baby's— Grogu's— forehead and sets him in the crib.

Cobb blinks a few times in surprise. "What the fuck does _that_ mean."

"August miracle. That's when I found him." Din explains simply, he sits on the edge of the bed.

Cobb smiles. As odd as the name is, it fits and besides, they're in an apocalypse. A weird name is the last worry on anyone's mind.

Din lays down, ignoring the way the bedsprings creak under his weight.

Cobb turns off the light and does the same thing.

Cobb can't fall asleep right away, the bed is comfortable, more so than he's used to. It's deadly silent aside from Din and Grogu's breathing. Breathing was good, it means they're alive.

He eventually falls into a deep sleep, worn out from the chaotic day.

When Cobb pulls himself out of sleep an incredibly warm body is pressed against him. He's confused for a brief moment before realizing that Din has practically tangled them together.

Din is still fast asleep, Grogu is gone but Cobb can hear Peli singing a nursery rhyme Cobb thought he'd never hear again.

It's incredibly peaceful. Cobb feels a smile fall on his face as he lays there.

Cobb closes his eyes and tries to sleep when Din begins moving. Cobb groggily opens his eyes and glares at Din, whose face is red with embarrassment.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Din disentangles himself from Cobb.

Now that Din's hot body (the sensation, not the physicality, Cobb reminds himself) is gone, the room is cold.

"Mhhgh. It's cold."

"Where's Grogu?" Din sits up quickly. Cobb whines at the loss of warmth.

"With Peli. She's singing the itsy bitsy spider." He answers, "Come back and cuddle. 'S cold."

Din huffs and lays back down. "It is cold."

Cobb hooks his leg over Din's thigh unashamed. Din adjusts his arm so that it's under Cobb's head.

This is nice. Cobb thinks.

Eventually, it does become time that they actually need to get up. Cobb pulls his leg away and sits up so that Din's arm is free.

Cobb shivers and pulls on his shoes. They don't want to overstay their welcome, especially not when she's watched Grogu for at least am hour while they had...

Cobb doesn't know what that was or why Din agreed but he isn't going to complain. The touch is nice, especially when there's a looming fear that everyone is infected.

Grogu is wearing a green dinosaur onesie when Cobb emerges from the bedroom. Peli smiles and sets a bowl of soup in front of him.

"There's plenty of protein and vegetables in that." She explains as Cobb takes a bite. It tastes delicious and Cobb finds himself almost moaning at the flavor. He was used to eating rice, beans, and other canned or bagged foods.

Din does moan as he takes a bite. "This tastes like something my abuela made when I was a little boy." He sighs happily. Cobb grins and takes another bite.

Grogu is eating the pieces of vegetables and meat cut up into small pieces.

"How'd you get the vegetables?" Cobb doesn't think they're canned.

"Grew 'em. We have water here as long as I clean the filter. The roof is a great place to grow them in the spring and summer." She explains. Din nods.

"Smart. I don't usually stick in one place for long enough."

She nods. "If I die here, I die here. I grew up in this apartment. I got married on that roof, actually. It was beautiful." She muses. "Anyways, you don't want to listen to the ramblings of an old woman. Feel free to fill up water bottles, I don't have any food that'll keep. But the water is clean." She stands and motions to the kitchen.

Cobb and Din take turns filling up bottles. Between the two of them they have about six. It's always difficult to tell what water is clean or not.

As Din is wrapping Grogu to his chest, Peli emerges from her room. "I would like to give this to you." She presses the item into Cobb's hands. Cobb inspects it, smiling.

"A music player." He whispers, looking at it like he won the lottery.

"I can't give you food, or shelter for much longer. But I can give you a little piece of happiness. The clothes, of course, are good and useful. But music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch." She quotes.

"Debasish Mridha." Cobb smiles. "We studied him in high school English."

She nods. "I hope you enjoy it. You three have been a delight. I wish you well."

Cobb hugs her. "Us too." He tucks the music player in his bag.

"The batteries are brand new." She says as she opens the door for them.

The moment she shuts the door, Cobb feels incredibly tired. Her home had given him time to relax and actually laugh.

Now, everything was dangerous and his main focus was surviving the day.

\---

Din's first goal is to find a new place to stay. They were incredibly lucky to find Peli last night and they need somewhere to stay.

They find a building with potential around noon. Cobb smiles as they climb to the top level. Din explains that the higher they are, the safer they are.

The ten flights of stairs are a pain in the ass but if they'll keep them safe, Cobb won't complain.

When they open the door, Cobb pulls out his machete, just in case.

The lights don't work but the water does. Cobb steps into what was once a bedroom and gasps.

Bodies are huddled in the corner. A family.

They're long dead, probably for several days. The decaying skin on their faces is mottled yellow and brown.

Cobb gags as Din steps into the room.

"Carry her out." Din commands, pointing to the woman. "We'll burn their bodies today on the roof." Cobb doesn't argue, he can't get a single word cross his lips.

Cobb sets the woman beside her husband.

He stares for a long time before Din brings the little girl out beside her family. He's incredibly gently as he cradles her head.

Her blonde hair is perfectly braided and Cobb doesn't think it was that neat when he saw her body earlier.

"That's all. I checked." Din says softly, placing a sheet over the bodies.

Cobb nods and allows himself to be lead back inside.

Din hands him a broom and a dustpan. "Can you sweep? This place has been abandoned for a few weeks."

Cobb swallows and nods.

The cleaning is soothing. Cobb finds some of the grief swept away along with the dust and dirt.

That evening, Cobb settles on the couch, unable to bring himself to sleep in the room that had a dead family in it.

Din seems unbothered so he takes the bed and puts Grogu to sleep in the pink and teal room that must have belonged to the little girl.

Cobb hates the way he almost knows everything about them. The way they stocked their bathroom, the way they put away dishes, how there's an extra box of blankets in the hall closet. Small, intimately domestic things that no one should know but them.

But they're gone and in their place is another family. A different one. A family forged by war and necessity rather than love.

Cobb does love Din and Grogu. He loves the way Din softly sings Grogu to sleep. He loves the way he is so quick to protect them, both of them. Cobb loves the way Grogu adores nursery rhymes and laughs so hard whenever Cobb does silly voices to sing them.

Maybe their little family could be forged by war, necessity, and love?

Cobb hopes so.

\---

Weeks pass in a blur of survival. They eat and scavenge for food, usually separately. The water in the building is cold so more often than not, Cobb ends up boiling a large pot of water on the gas stove to add to a tub of cold water.

One evening, after a particularly close call with a zombie, Din is standing in the dark kitchen while Cobb makes himself tea. He hasn't spoken much aside from telling the story.

"I thought I was a goner today." Din says softly. Cobb sets the mug down and schools his face into a neutral expression. He turns around to face Din, nodding for him to continue.

"I thought I was going to die and you would be waiting here for days before you realized I wasn't coming back." Din closes his eyes for a brief moment, a nervous habit he's always had. "I thought I was going to die without doing this."

He takes a step forward and presses his lips against Cobb's.

Cobb gasps and kisses back, his hands letting to of the counter to cup Din's cheek.

"What does this mean?" Cobb asks softly, staring Din straight in the eyes.

Din gives him a small smile. "Whatever you want it to."

Cobb isn't sure what he wants it to be but he likes the taste of Din's lips against his own.

\---

Din hears the news from two young women he meets at an empty store. They're surrounding the radio and listening intently.

"Hey! Have you heard the news?" The redhead asks, she turns up the sound.

_"Seven scientists in Canada have made a treatment to end this ordeal. They claim to have tested their drug on people across the world and the results have been the same. Newly infected zombies and uninfected peoples can be cured or made immune. Unfortunately, ones that have been infected for long-term will not be cured. They say their cure will be placed in water sources and will prevent the virus from binding to cells. They will begin administering the cure in a week's time around the world."_

Din stares for a long time. "A cure." He says, the radio continues to talk but he can't hear it. A cure.

He had to tell Cobb.

Running as quickly as he can he runs back to the apartment. He barely notices the ten flights of stares and-

The door is wide opened and there's a trail of blood leading down the steps. Or up them.

Din freezes, terrified. He pushes the door opened, machete in hand.

The apartment is empty.

Din follows the blood back down the steps and down the street.

There's a decapitated zombie at the bottom of the steps. Din's heart rate picks up when he kicks the zombie's head and sees that the cut looks newer than older. It definitely hadn't been there when he left.

"Nonono. Not Cobb." He mumbles. Tears prick his eyes.

No one else was in this area but them.

Grief suddenly crashes over Din like a tsunami and he takes a step back. "No. Cobb!" He yells.

There's no response.

"Cobb! Cobb Vanth!" He cups his hands around his mouth and yells until his vocal cords hurt.

Silence.

He stumbles back up the stairs, tears blurring his eyes.

Somewhere on the fourth flight of stairs, Grogu begins to get fussy at being carried and jostled, he begins crying. Din sets him down in his room and sits outside the door.

He doesn't realize he's crying until a Din escapes him. Not when they're so close to recovery. So close to restoring the world to what it once was.

He sits at the top of the steps, wrapping his arms around his legs.

He doesn't hear the footsteps up the stairs or the way someone sits beside him.

"Darling?"

Din looks up, bloodshot brown eyes meeting confused hazel ones.

"Cobb." He gasps out, his voice hitching.

"What's wrong?"

Tears fill Din's eyes and he flings himself at his boyfriend. "Cobb, I thought you were dead!" He sobs into Cobb's shirt.

"Why?" Cobb's voice in incredulous.

"I thought..." Din motions to the blood.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I shoulda left a note. There were so kids that showed up and needed help finding a street. They had killed that zombie out there and didn't know where they were." Cobb takes a deep breath. "They had a dog with them, it caught a rat up here. That's where the blood is from"

"A rat." Din's voice is far away. Cobb nods.

"Yes, a rat. I'm sorry." Cobb wipes some of Din's tears away. "I didn't even think..."

Din nods. "It's okay. I'm okay now. You're here."

Cobb gives him a small, apologetic smile. "Why are you back so early? I thought you were going far off to get food?"

Din had almost forgot about the good news. "They've made a cure, it makes you immune to bites. They're gonna distributed it next week."

Cobb grins. "No..." When Din nods adamantly, he lets out a laugh. "That's great." He kisses Din quickly, standing up.

"I have the perfect thing. C'mere." He drags Din inside and goes to the counter. Din is confused until he sees the small box in Cobb's hands.

The music player from Peli begins playing music Din hadn't heard in _years._

"Let's dance." Cobb suggests, he puts his hand on Din's waist and intertwines their hands.

The world would continue to be ugly for a while. There would still be dangers until the world was cured.

But for now, Din and Cobb dance on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this! 
> 
> My Insta and Tumblr - onceuponagalaxyfarfaraway
> 
> Also shout out to Emery who laughed with me about how fucking funny the name "Milagro-Agusto" is djdksjdhjdkdn


	2. Alternate Ending (SAD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhmm so yea originally I was planning to kill off Cobb and it didnt make the cut because I didn't like the way I wrote Din. 
> 
> B u t I wanted to include it anyways because it's angsty and I like some parts of it. It starts off like the reworked part and then becomes darker
> 
> TW: Some suicidal thoughts

Din hears the news from two young women he meets at an empty store. They're surrounding the radio and listening intently.

"Hey! Have you heard the news?" The redhead asks, she turns up the sound.

"Seven scientists in Canada have made a treatment to end this ordeal. They claim to have tested their drug on people across the world and the results have been the same. Newly infected zombies and uninfected peoples can be cured or made immune. Unfortunately, ones that have been infected for long-term will not be cured. They say their cure will be placed in water sources and will prevent the virus from binding to cells. They will begin administering the cure in a week's time around the world."

Din stares for a long time. "A cure." He says, the radio continues to talk but he can't hear it. A cure.

He had to tell Cobb.

Running as quickly as he can he runs back to the apartment. He barely notices the ten flights of stares and-

The door is wide opened and there's a trail of blood leading down the steps. Or up them.

Din freezes, terrified. He pushes the door opened, machete in hand.

The apartment is empty.

Din follows the blood back down the steps and down the street.

There's a decapitated zombie at the bottom of the steps. Din's heart rate picks up when he kicks the zombie's head and sees it's mouthful of flesh.

"Nonono." He mumbles. Tears prick his eyes.

No one was in this area but them.

Grief crashes over Din like a tsunami and he takes a step back. "No. Cobb!" He yells.

There's no response.

"Cobb! Cobb Vanth!" He cups his hands around his mouth.

Silence.

He stumbles back up the stairs, tears blurring his eyes.

Somewhere on the fourth flight of stairs, Grogu begins to get fussy at being carried and jostled, he begins crying. Din sets him down in his room and sits outside the door.

He doesn't realize he's crying until a Din escapes him. Not when they're so close to recovery. So close to restoring the world to what it once was.

He sits at the top of the steps, wrapping his arms around his legs.

Small footsteps pull him out of his thoughts. A group of kids, barely teenagers are at the bottom of the steps. Din pulls out the machete and points it at them. They're covered in blood and look terrified.

The long-haired girl, maybe twelve, pulls out a red handkerchief and hands it to Din. He's confused, he stares at it for a moment before he realizes why the item is so familiar.

It's Cobb's

"Where's you get this?" He demands. The kids look at the ground.

"He told us to give it to you." The tallest boy answers.

"Where is he?" Din clutches the scarf so tightly that his nails dig into his own skin.

No one answers.

"Where is he?!" Din roars. The kids jump.

"He's gone. He was bitten and told us to give you that."

_He's gone. He's gone. He's gone._

"How-, he's not..." Din trails off. It makes sense, the blood covering one of the girls, the faraway look in her eyes. She killed Cobb.

" _You killed him_!" Din screeches with anger. They flinch.

"She didn't do it willingly. She's not like the Empire. He asked her-"

"Get out." Din hisses.

"Sir,-"

"Get the _fuck_ off my property."

They run away, terrified that he'll hurt them. He doesn't think he actually would. Cobb always begged him that if he was infected to just kill him before he hurt anyone. The thought still hurts so badly that Din can't breathe. His legs can barely support him as he walks to the door. Grogu is standing at the door, his eyes wide. He isn't accustom to Din yelling, and Din feels guilty that his son saw the whole scenario.

But what's done is done and dihushes his son, putting him down for a nap in the pink and teal room that Cobb hated so much.

He doesn't know what to do. Cobb's _gone._

The tears haven't stopped but he thought they would have calmed by now. He catches a glimpse of a small box on the kitchen counter.

The music player Peli had given them hadn't been used. Cobb had claimed to be waiting for "the perfect moment" to use it.

Din picks up the box, it's lighter than he thought. He inspects it, it's shiny and looks brand new.

In a fluid motion he hurls the box at the nearest wall, watching as pieces break off and fly in different directions.

Peli told them that music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.

She was so, _so_ wrong. This hurts more than anything Din has ever felt. Nothing could heal this, not a dumb song, there wasn't even enough alcohol in the world to dumb the hole in his heart so why bother trying.

He falls his knees wishes the floor would just swallow him up.

If this had happened before Grogu, before anything. Din's sure he would have done some reckless action that would have gotten him killed.

He can't do that now. He had a kid to take care of.

He wishes picking up the pieces of his heart could be as easy as picking up pieces of the music player.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Uh... Hi, I'm Ash and you can find me on Tumblr and Instagram to yell at me about this - @onceuponagalaxyfarfaraway


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